USB 2.0 Hi-speed Flash drive roundup (2004)

Ars Technica takes a look at 8 different USB 2. worthwhile?

Conclusion

When we started this review, we only had an inkling of what we might come up with. By the time we finished, our perception that USB drives were a commodity was completely erased. While every USB Flash drive is essentially the same in that they carry data, they are all slightly different and not every drive will meet everyone's needs.

Drive summaries

PNY Attache:As drives go, this one was stylish and sturdy. It comes with a full assortment of accessories, including the USB extension cable and a neck strap. Aside from that, the drive itself is a rather lackluster offering. While much faster than any USB 1.1 device, the read and write speeds are rather slow for Hi-speed USB. The other unfortunate thing about this drive is the lack of extra software outside of the Windows 98 drivers. While it may be possible to find this drive for as little as US$15 to US$20 (after Mail-in-Rebate), it typically goes for US$30+. That is too expensive for such a mediocre drive. --- Score = 5/10

SanDisk Cruzer Mini: Of all the drives in this review, this drive is the thinnest. Some might even call it sexy, but we would not go that far. Unlike most other drives, it does not block dual-stacked USB ports in the slightest. Other positive things include the excellent LED visibility, good read/write scores, and it even works in unpowered USB hubs. Even the CruzerLock encryption software was solid and pretty easy to use. Some complaints would be the lack of a write-protect switch and that the plastic loop for the lanyard is rather weak. (It's fine for hanging around your neck, but it certainly is not load bearing in the least.) That said, the prices found for the 128, 256, and 512MB models make this a good deal. --- Score = 8/10

Mushkin Flashkin: We had mixed feelings about this drive. On one hand it offered a full complement of accessories and features, such as the standard neck strap, USB extension cable, write-protect switch, security software and it even worked in unpowered USB hubs. Yet despite this, everything about the drive felt like it was cheaply made and the security software felt like it was coded as an afterthought. The plastic body was very bulky and felt extremely hollow. On top of this, the slow read/write performance was troubling and the one-year warranty made us wonder how long this drive would last. Overall, the drive is not that bad, but what really lowered the score is that the price for the drive is more expensive than most of the other drives (which are notably better equipped.) --- Score = 6/10

SimpleTech Bonzai Xpress:This drive has the best physical design of the bunch. It is both strong and sturdy, yet still compact and a comfortable to carry. While it does not come with a USB extension, it does have a write-protect switch and some very helpful file synchronization software. What makes this USB drive especially nice is the strong read/write speeds, the solid two-year warranty, and the very nice price (considering how much is included.) --- Score = 9/10

Fujifilm USB Drive 2.0: Two words: speed demon. Without a doubt, this drive is fast! With top read speeds reaching 8.5MB/sec and write performance that destroyed the competition, this drive is perfect for anybody who is impatient or never seems to have enough time. Unfortunately, this drive has its drawbacks. The drive is the largest of the bunch, has no accessories included, no write-protect switch, no low-power support, and a higher price than most. Fortunately, it does come with decent security software and a lifetime warranty. --- Score = 8/10

Verbatim Store 'n' Go: In a nutshell, this drive was consistently above average. Never spectacular, but never terrible either. Read/Write performance is definitely strong, but nothing amazing. It comes equipped with neck strap, USB extension cable, and security software. As mentioned before, the security software does not run directly from the drive, but wants to install on each and every machine in use. In addition, this drive is not bootable and has no low-power support, either. On the bright side, it is compact and carries a lifetime warranty. Unfortunately, the higher than average price keeps it from scoring higher as well. --- Score = 7/10

Transcend JetFlash 2A: This drive is nearly perfect. It comes with everything: Neck strap, USB extension cable, write protect switch, and easy-to-use security software. On top of this, it is bootable and works fine in unpowered hubs. It carries a 2-year warranty and has absolutely amazing read speeds (9.5MB/sec.) Unfortunately, its "Achilles heel" is its write performance. When working with small and medium size files, it is the worst of the bunch. It was even slower than our USB 1.1 drive. It does manage to put in average scores on the larger file sizes, but even then it is a bit of a disappointment. The saving grace is that the price is quite nice. --- Score = 9/10

Iomega Mini: For something known as a "mini", it was certainly one of the largest of the bunch. That aside, this is a smokin' drive. While it was not able to write data as fast as the Fujifilm drive at the small and medium file sizes, it was the fastest drive in both reading and writing at larger file sizes. It also has a neat slot for inserting custom labels. Unfortunately, this drive comes with no accessories, no write-protection, no boot support, and it has a really dim activity LED. The good news is that it works great in unpowered hubs. What really separated this drive from the rest was the Active Disk applications for both Mac OS and Windows. --- Score = 8/10